Full Video: Watch the full CNN Democratic debate

The Democratic presidential candidates convened in Las Vegas tonight for the first Democratic debate of the 2016 election cycle. The debate took place at the Wynn Resort and was moderated by Anderson Cooper with additional questions from Dana Bash and Juan Carlos Lopez. Five candidates participated, with Hillary Clinton taking the center stage spot in between Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley.

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders clashed on U.S. involvement in the Middle East, gun control and economic policy as they opened the first Democratic debate Tuesday, outlining competing visions for a party seeking to keep the White House for a third straight term.

Clinton was an aggressor from the start, an unexpected shift for a candidate who has barely mentioned her Democratic rivals since launching her campaign six months ago. Until now, Clinton and Sanders — who has emerged as her toughest competition — have circled each other cautiously and avoided personal attacks.

After Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist derided “a casino capitalist process by which so few have so much,” Clinton said it would be a “big mistake” for the U.S. to turn its back on the system that built the American middle class. Asked whether she thought Sanders, who has a mixed record on gun control legislation, had been tough enough on the issue, she said simply,” No, I do not.”

Sanders defended his gun control record, and called for better mental health services, stricter background checks and closing a loophole that exempts gun shows from background checks

One of the biggest applause lines was Bernie Sanders defending Hillary Clinton from ongoing questions about her email setup during her tenure at the State Department. Martin O’Malley chimed in to that exchange and pointed out that if the Democrats would have started debating earlier, the campaign may not be so focused on topics such as email servers.

Nate Ashworth is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Election Central. He's been blogging elections and politics for almost a decade. He started covering the 2008 Presidential Election which turned into a full-time political blog in 2012 and 2016.

I missed the debate when it was live, because I was at a rehearsal. So I’m watching it now instead. But, I saw a substantial section responding to the question of whether black lives matter, or all lives matter. Did you miss that in this video, or was there even more in the original that’s missing now?

CNN, owned by Time Warner, a long and generous campaign contributor to Clinton’s campaigns, seems to have conspired to edit this video for her, and has shut down all other complete versions available, one of them Bernietv, that has live streamed all of Bernie’s events, as well. They also seem to have deleted their own poll that showed people widely considered Bernie the clear winner of the debates, and I can’t seem to find their focus group that came to the same conclusion. In the meantime, their talking heads have all declared Hillary the winner, and I smell a corporate rat, as do many others.

VERY poor quality video. However I think it’s clear who the best candidate is. With the republicans in their current state (not to mention a real threat of a split vote), we have the perfect atmosphere to get a REAL progressive into the White House. Hillary has become a shakier choice over time, and Bernie has done nothing but climb polls and intelligently gain outstanding support. Let’s try and make a real difference, let’s vote Bernie Sanders for the 2016 election!

CNN has deleted their own viewer poll, because it, as well as most polls showed Sanders won. CNN is owned by Time Warner, which is a major contributor to HILLARY’S campaign. There’s a corporate rat odor wafting through, here, IMO.

the democrat debate is riged and always is they own abc/cbs/cnn/msmbc and all media the debates should be ran by regular people in other words let the people ask the questions they choose to ask and let the canadets answer them not rigged questions to show the person in a good way to win votes like here is a question to Hillary how can amercians trust you a women who lets a man cheet on you and the only reason you are not divorced is you need him for politices . when most people have there mate cheet on them they separate and try to work it out or divorce because the trust is gone . so your political goals are more important then trust and honor I see that bill is still cheating on you and you amited that he has a side dish and you ok with it but if you were not in politices you would have divorced him so how do you expect to be president of the USA when you have no controle of your family and I have no respect for anybody whom allowes a person walk all over them and not stand up for whats right you bow down just because you want to be first women to be pres I bet you do anythink to get what you want hope you are clean of diseases so your not spreading diseases to foren diplomates

I find it hard to agree with someone who can hardly write a paragraph without making multiple grammar mistakes, spelling errors and run-on sentences. The fact that you come across as such an uneducated individual makes it hard for me to imagine that you know what is best for this country.

True to the elite Left, an individual must possess a flawless pedigree and be educated to your standards in order to voice an opinion, at least according to your ridiculous logic. I’ll gladly take 100 “Steve K’s” over just a single one of you liberal pukes. Read what Pickering wrote about George Washington and his “defective grammar and horrid spelling.” I’m sure this means that the Father of Our Country did not, like Steve K, know what was best for this country.
Try as you may, socialism will never take hold in our country. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to apologize to Steve K when a Republican wins the White House and you prosper because of his or her conservative agenda. I can’t speak for Steve, but I have to believe that will be reward enough for him and for all the other normal people at whom you turn your nose up.

Dennis, I am nowhere near elite and am a raised and registered Republican. People like you and Steve K who rush to judgement with uneducated remarks are the reason the left looks at us as stupid rednecks. It’s really offensive to be grouped with you, sir, and honestly the party hasn’t been much better. First: You need to quit blaming the media for leading people away from the GOP, they leaders of this party are doing it to themselves. We have 12 candidates on a “debate” stage meant for 2, the concept does not work. It also doesn’t help that our party clings to a fact-less network like Fox News, and it IS possible to spread a conservative message without shoving fear and lies down the throats of viewers. Second: I’m sure you, more-patriotic-than-thou, is familiar with the “United We Stand” mantra. You ignore the second part of that though, “Divided We Fall.” Your ignorance and unwillingness to cooperate and work with Democrats is what is ruining this country. The cheap shots at Dems need to stop. I’m talking debates, congressional sessions… nothing is getting done. The stubbornness of the GOP is only pushing its own supporters away, or taking election-winning votes away. So Dennis, before you plop a Trump for President sign in front of that small patch of grass in your yard, realize that that imbecile has not spoken one 100%-factually true statement thus far in his campaign and is embarrassing all of us in the process.

my spelling sucks and never typed don’t even own a cellphone but having facts and knowing and seeing the corruption first hand is more real then people just reading and listening to media lies our government needs to be replaced with new blood and when people open there eyes and become a joined nation is when things will change but u keep your blinders on and wake up and realize what’s happening its to late . sorry for not using spell check like you all. have a nice day

You don’t have facts, Steve. Reading and listening and researching is how you gather facts. Watching Fox News is not a reliable method. You’re claiming rigged debates, while our GOP candidates got to answer questions like “What would your code name be?” You’re criticizing Hillary about Bill rather than arguing numbers or policies or any tangible evidence really and it is very childish, and those same statements you are making is the reason why we will lose any head-to-head debates with the left. Please Steve, do some research, gather some facts and statistics, and do whatever you can to choose the best candidate this party can put forward. (Here’s a hint: it’s not Trump)

The same is said of the GOP btw. Its common knowledge FOX news is just the right arm of the extreme right of the republican party. Why shouldn’t the left fight back? Just being observant is all. And common guys? An egghead like Trump is leading Rep polls and noone sees something is wrong? He’s no Ronald Reagan!

yes I agree but all media is controlled by government but the dem lies more and wants to control everybody and we need less government involvement in our lives that is fact our government lie steel and is way to big

Have you fact-checked any of these debates? The GOP lies just as much as the Democrats. Trump can not give one completely factual statement to save his life. You’re right, we don’t need government in every facet of our lives, but there are certain things we do need them for.

true but the fact is state/federal government is way to big and they are to involved in our lives but we do need some government involvement but not control look at the state of NY they are now controlling all parts of medical ( example} when you take pain meds they send a state person in to visit pretending they are a new nurse but a state rep who detaches what your doctor has to do or they loose license bad or you pay for pis test and if you smoke a joint and it is found in test they now have the right to arrest you what happened to the persons doctor privacy ?? not there . I can state a lot more but you get my point.

Did you do your own research on this or did you just repeat what you heard on Rush Limbaugh? Employers have always been able to drug screen current or potential employees, and if you test positive, you aren’t arrested but rather subject to discipline or treatment options within the company. Doctors are required to have much more confidentiality than employers, so why do you think all of a sudden this will change? Your example does not work either because New York passed Medical Marijuana back in 2014, and it is already decriminalized in the state meaning most likely a fine and no arrest or jail time. Sorry but no, I do not get your point.

Omg! Just ignore this guy! Can’t you see he’s just baiting? Why is he even here? Now we have Trump claiming Jersey City was cheering when the towers went down. When does the lunicacy end? Steve K, go find a life and suck Bill Oreilly’s ratings and leave us alone to actually have an intelligent debate.

There are plenty of people who stay together after a partner cheats on them, also that is not a substantive question and is equivalent to the question Trump got during the CNBC debate calling him a cartoon.

that is true but Hillary has admitted to a reporter that bill has a new mistress. not good to pretend to be married and happy for politics what else will she try to hide . point being she lies and is incapable to run our country she just wants the title first women president and money that goes with the job. also look at how corrupt the Clinton foundation is . she needs jail

What is your source for that, the only thing that comes close I could find was Ronald Kessler mentioning it in his book (she has yet to confirm it publicly according to the sources I have found), and you’ll have to forgive me for not believing everything in a book. Also everyone lies, or at least bends the truth, so that is not a disqualifer (if it was under oath ala perjury then that is another matter altogether). The Clinton foundation has yet to be brought up on charges, is suspicious sure, but there needs to be a trial. Also, plenty of Republicans are also in it for power and the corporate money like Hillary is. It should be noted that I am not a Hillary fan and will not vote for her in a general if she is nominated, unless the Republicans nominated one of the crazies (Rand Paul is really the only sane one over there).

I was watching msn news and a reporter interviewed Hillary and hilery answered bill has a new women and then they switched topics the statement was about 10 seconds long . watched on tv not web and me and my wife laughed at how com she was